


New Friend

by hvss



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: First Kiss, Jealousy, Kissing, M/M, Not an au but let’s all pretend they did defeat it the first time, Watched it chapter 2 again and thought of this, also Connor and Richie are just friends, also halloween ish, im so bad at tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 11:39:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20965952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hvss/pseuds/hvss
Summary: “That blonde hair, those curls, the blue eyes... he remembers instantly and feels his throat close up in fear. The boy spots him and Richie walks as fast he can.”After a crazy summer, Richie runs into a familiar face.





	New Friend

**Author's Note:**

> i had to look at IMDB to make sure that was the name ha. anyways this is just something that i thought about writing. so yeah. sorry for any grammar or spelling errors. hope u enjoy!

It’s the middle of September and school is back full on. Richie was a little miserable because he didn’t share any classes with the rest of the losers. Also, Beverly had left weeks ago and he missed her a lot.

The losers and him still hung out so much, they were still inseparable. But at the same time Richie didn’t know how to process what they went through. Talking about it helped yes, but even he would wake up at night gasping for air just remembering it all.

Not just that but a lot of things came to light from deep within him that he wished he couldn’t process.

Richie and the others are on the same boat so for now he figures his reality was one that brought him great stress. 

He is walking to his last class when he spots someone he has seen before.

That blonde hair, those curls, the blue eyes... he remembers instantly and feels his throat close up in fear. The boy spots him and Richie walks as fast he can.

He was Henry Bowers cousin, the day Richie slipped and acted way too friendly with another boy. If it had been anyone else nothing bad would’ve of happened.. but no he had to go and try to flirt with Henry Bowers cousin.

He blocks out what happened next, just grateful that stupid clown was dead.

The rest of the losers had homework to do and he didn’t feel like doing any of it. So he’s at the arcade playing his favorite game, street fighter.

“Hey...” He hears someone say and tap his shoulder. Richie turns and is met with the same boy.

Richie eyes widened and he stalks back, shaking his head and leaving. He doesn’t want a repeat of what happened that summer day. Some kids in school still have him weird looks and he has to fight off the urge to run away.

He keeps walking fast, almost getting to his bike which is leaning on the side of the theater building.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” The boy calls out and Richie flinches, he turns around and the boy is cautiously getting closer.

“Fuck off!” Richie grunts at him, “Whatever you want to say or do you did enough last time. Leave me alone!”

“Hey.. I’m sorry about that. I just..” The blonde curly boy pauses, scratching his head. “I was scared..” The boy bites his lip, “I was scared and I-I didn’t want my cousin to...” He sighs, “My stupid cousin always talked about you guys and if.. if he knew I was playing with you, if he knew that I..” He stops and swallows, “I’m really sorry.”

Richie doesn’t say anything, he just leans against the wall, nervously adjusting his glasses.

“I’m staying for a few months.. my family have some things they need to settle before we leave.” The slightly taller boy kept talking, “We could... go to the arcade. If you like.”

Richie frowns, “You want to spend time with me?”

The boy played nervously with one of the curls on his neck and nods, “Yeah.. we could play again. You were really good.” He gives him a tentative smile. “I’m Connor by the way.”

Richie thinks about it, he had been scared all summer too. This kid basically outed him just because he got too friendly.... And granted this kid had apologized. But what if it got out of hand again? What if this kid started calling him those names again?

“You’re not going... to call me names again?” Richie narrowed his eyes at Connor.

Connor shook his head with wide eyes, “No.. no. I just want to be your friend.”

Richie was a little shocked. No one ever wanted to be his friend, just the losers. He deliberates and then just shrugs. He didn’t know why he was going to agree, it just seemed like worth the risk to try and be friends with this boy.

“We could play again.” Richie says, fishing for tokens in his pocket.

Connor just smiles at him and Richie returns the smile.

They start by just spending time at the arcade. Instead of going home and doing his homework, Connor and him would just spend time at the arcade. It was a little weird that they hung out, Connor was a year older than him but he never minds when Richie tried to teach him tricks. He still wasn’t as good as Richie but he was getting there.

Eddie is the first one who asks. They’re in the cafeteria, Connor waves at Richie from his own table. Richie waves back trying to appear discreet.

“You talk to him?” Eddie asks, big brown curious eyes staring at Connor and then back at Richie.

Richie bites his lip, “Um yeah.” He chews on his sandwich, “He’s at the arcade a lot so we sometimes talk.”

“Isn’t he... Henry Bowers cousin?” Ben points out at which everyone just stares at Richie like he’s insane.

“Hey..” Richie rolls his eyes, “He’s nothing like his cousin okay? He’s really nice.”

“Are you sure?” Eddie asks, still looking at Connor who was turned around talking to another boy his age. “It just seems... strange that you two would hang out.”

“I can have friends outside of you guys.” Richie snaps.

“T-That’s not w-w-hat we are s-saying.” Bill stutters, “W-We are just l-looking out f-for you.”

Richie nods, “Yeah of course. But he’s nice, don’t worry.”

They move on to different topics and Richie glances at Connor who was looking at him. They smile shyly at each other before they turn back to their respective groups.

One day they spend time outside of the arcade. The arcade is closed and Richie thought about just heading back.

Connor grabs his arm, “Hey.. we could just go somewhere else.”

Richie raises an eyebrow, “Where?”

“I can get some comics from my house and we can go by the barrens to read them.” Connor smiles at him. “I know a nice spot.”

That didn’t seem like too bad. Richie had been slacking on reading comics. He figures that as long as it’s not close enough to the losers clubhouse they’ll be fine.

“Sure.” Is all Richie says before following Connor.

They start doing that often. Sometimes they would go to the arcade other times they would go to their usual spot and sit down and read the comics.

Richie doesn’t notice when he starts spending less time with the losers. Sometimes he just bail out of their plans to hang out with Connor. He didn’t know why. Connor just brought a weird sense of peace to him.

Maybe it’s because Connor didn’t know about what he went through, what the losers went through. Connor didn’t know about all the horrible things they witness that summer. He could go back and pretend he was a normal boy, growing up in a normal town.

“Maybe if you actually tried to spend time with us we wouldn’t have to explain to you everything!” Eddie snaps at him as they were in the clubhouse.

Richie had just asked why Ben wasn’t there. A simple honest question and Eddie snapped at him.

Stan just looks at Eddie a little surprised.

“It’s just a question Eddie, fuck you so mad for?!” Richie snaps back at him.

“Maybe because you keep ditching us for your stupid friend! We are the losers, we stick together!” Eddie huffs angrily, “Just whatever Richie!”

He doesn’t give Richie time to even talk because he’s climbing up the ladder, exiting the clubhouse.

Richie turns to the rest a little confused at Eddie’s outburst. Bill shrugs, “H-He probably just m-misses you. W-We all d-do.”

Richie pursues his lips and sighs, “Sorry.. sorry. I’ll do better okay? I didn’t know it was a big deal.” He gets a look from Stan and he sighs, “I said sorry! Look can someone just to explain to why Ben isn’t here.”

Mike speaks up this time, “He is out of town for the weekend. He thinks his dad might relocate soon.”

“What?!” Richie asks a little shocked. “He just moved here.”

“Yeah Ben is bummed about it, he thought he could finish out high school here.” Stan says, “First Bev, now Ben.. it’s like we are losing everyone.”

Stan sounds a little sad and Richie slides a hand over his shoulder, “Hey.. We’ll always be losers right?”

“Right.. but now you’re also having other friends. Eddie just ran off because he’s mad at you...” Stan sighs, “So much is changing and I hate it.”

“Look.. all of you will always be my best friends, we fucking defeated a demon together. I’ll never stop being friends with you guys. Connor is just one friend i happens to have and he’s going to move away sooner or later. And Eddie.. I’ll make things right with Eddie okay?” Richie smiles at Stan, shaking his shoulder a little, “Now stop being so sour, we are going to be fine. Ben can also write to us or call us like Bev does.” Stan smiles a little and Richie grins, “Now let me go find my spaghetti head and fix this.”

Richie ends up finding Eddie who is angrily sitting down on a tree stump.

Richie hates how his heartbeat picks up the pace. He found a lot of things about himself that summer and that was one of the things.

“Eds, you still mad?” Richie says and seems to startle Eddie because he does a little jump then turns to glare at him.

“Don’t call me that asshole!”

Richie sighs and thinks about sitting next to him but chooses on plopping down on the ground across from him.

“Can you just... tell me why you’re so mad at me? I know I been shitty at hanging out with you guys, but is that all there is?” Richie sighs, looking at Eddie, trying to decipher where all this anger came from.

“Look...” Eddie starts, taking huge deep breaths, “I know Stan and you are like... super best friends. You two know each other way before we all did. That never bothered me. We, us, had a connection. We are really close in our own way.” Eddie fidgets with his hands, “We bicker and fight but that’s just us you know?”

“Eddie...” Richie says softly, “We still have that connection. You’re my spaghetti man! Just because I hang out with Connor doesn’t mean we aren’t as close.”

“It doesn’t feel like that. We used to hang out without the losers, now you use that time to hang out with him.” Eddie says bitterly, “I just... I want to know why.”

Richie looks down at his feet, where he is scuffing his shoes against the dirt. “I just.. want to feel normal. Like.. what we all went through is insane. I mean we all could’ve of literally died.” He grimaces remembering the time Eddie almost died, “And it made us stronger you know? It made us true friends. But.. with Connor I can forget I went through that. It’s nice. It helps.”

Richie doesn’t even know he’s crying until Eddie sits next to him and pulls him into a hug. His glasses bump against his shoulder but it’s a nice hug.

They both pull back, Richie sliding his glasses off as he wipes his tears.

“Sorry.. I guess that makes sense.” Eddie whispers, “I understand though. We all.. we all deal with what happened differently.”

Richie eyes his fanny pack and nods. Eddie did throw it away but when his anxiety was too much he decided to start carrying it around again.

Richie clears his throat, “We’ll never stop being friends, I promise you.”

Eddie smiles and Richie’s heart flutters.

When it happens both of them freeze.

Richie is laughing at something Connor had said, he throws the comic at him giggling madly.

Connor grabs the comic and flings it back to Richie hitting his face.

“Hey!” Richie says and he pushes Connor playfully at which Connor returns the push.

Then one push makes Richie slide and twist over Connor, making them bump their foreheads.

Richie is about to complain about how Connor has a hard head when their eyes connect.

Connor has such an intensity to him that makes Richie’s words get stuck in his throat. He watches as Connors eyes slide down to his mouth and Richie’s heart almost stops.

Then Connor just leans in, presses their lips together.

Both of them instantly freeze. Both of them shake against each other. A second pass and they both pull apart.

Richie adjusts his glasses and he is trying to think of what to say. How to excuse this.. but hold on. He wasn’t the one who initiated the kiss. His first kiss with a boy. His first kiss, ever.

Richie dares to look back at Connor who looks just as scared as he is. His bottom lip trembling, just like Richie’s.

That’s when it hits Richie that Connor was like him. Connor wanted to kiss Richie. Connor wanted to spend time with Richie. Even alone, out here in the woods, he wanted to be alone with Richie.

Connor is cute, very cute. Admittedly, he did have a small crush on him. Not that it would ever compare what he felt for Eddie, but he did have a crush on Connor.

He leans in this time, pressing their lips together. He is trying to tell Connor that it’s okay, that they’re the same.

Richie pulls back again once he realized that Connor was still frozen. His eyes widening in fear as he stares at Connor.

They don’t say anything to each other for the next few minutes. Richie stands up, unable to take the silence. “I-I... gotta go.”

He starts walking fast, tripping over his own legs and finally finds his bike and speeds off to his house.

Richie gets to his house and runs straight to his room. He sinks down to the floor and starts hyperventilating. He just kissed a boy. A boy. A boy who bullied him that summer. A boy who wanted to be friends. A boy who kissed him first.

He stands up, miraculously making it to the bathroom and throws up.

What if Connor didn’t want to be friends anymore? What if he told everyone what happened and made Richie seemed like he was the one who started it?

Richie wonders if he should skip school tomorrow, he doesn’t know if he could take another public humiliation.

He pretends to be sick, his mother lets him stay in from school. He stays in his bed, reading one of the comic books Connor had gave to him.

He makes himself a sandwich when he realizes his parents wouldn’t be home till much later and he is super hungry. Richie turns the TV on to see if there’s anything good and rummages the pantry to see if there was any good junk food.

There’s a knock on the door as he finally finds something good to watch on TV.

He looks out the window and sees that it’s Connor he feels sick again.

Richie opens the door slightly, “Hey...”

Connor stares at him, looking incredibly nervous and sweaty. “Hey... can I.. can we talk?”

Richie nods and opens the door for him, letting him in. He doesn’t know if he should close the door, but he does. He’s bracing himself for the worst.

“I’m sorry.” Connor says first, “I-I’ve.. I’ve never done that. At all.” Richie could see his palms where shaking. “I don’t.. at least I didn’t think I was..” He sounds almost breathless, “I didn’t think I was...”

Connor is so tongue tied and Richie understands him.

“It’s okay.” Richie’s voice falls to a whisper, they were inside his house and his parents weren’t home but it still feels like he should be whispering. “I hadn’t either kissed...” He can’t even finish that sentence. He closes his eyes and doesn’t know why but he says this next. “And I am, you know? I am... that.”

Connor inhales shakily, biting on his lower lip, “Oh...” He just stands there looking at Richie and Richie feels so exposed. He regrets telling him that, he should backtrack. He should definitely backtrack. “I think I am.. that too.”

Oh. Okay. Okay.

“So we are both...” Richie swallows, “That.”

Silence surrounds them. Richie doesn’t feel suffocated though. It’s a weird calming silence.

“How did you know where I lived?” Richie asks after a few minutes, they’re both a little bit less on edge.

“Oh..” Connor blushes, “I asked one of your friends.. the small boy with the fanny pack. He seemed suspicious but I told him I was trying to return a comic book. He did tell me if I was up to no good he would punch me.”

“Eddie..” Richie smiles imagining Eddie saying that and says, “That was Eddie.”

Eddie who is so overprotective of him, who wanted to keep the connection Richie and him had, and who had no idea what Richie’s true fear was.

“He’s cute.” Connor smiles at Richie, almost knowingly. “Are you and him...”

“No!” Richie says too fast, “No.. he’s not.. No. He doesn’t...” He sighs sadly.

Connor frowns a little, “Was he the one who... made you see boys differently?”

Richie nods, smiling sadly at Connor, “Yeah.. figured it out over the summer. How sad is that?”

He laughs bitterly and Connor steps closer. “Hey... It’s not sad.” Richie gives Connor a look, “Okay it is sad. But at least you figured it out.”

“How did you know?” Richie asks him instead not wanting to go into details about how he figured out his true feelings for Eddie.

Connor blushes, looks down at the ground and messes with his curls a little. “Promise you won’t get freaked out?”

Richie snorts, “Try me.”

“You. It was you.” Connor says, looking back up hesitantly at Richie. “I kept thinking of your glasses and how they made your eyes look big, how you were checking me out when we first played at the arcade, how you touched my hand.. I replayed those moments and just felt in the weirdest way something nice in the pit of my stomach.. like butterlies. I hated myself for even thinking of you. Then.. I saw you at the school and I knew I had to figure out what this was.”

Richie was stunned to say the least. Connor had a crush on him, he was the one responsible for Connor thinking of other boys like that.

“Wow...” Is all Richie says and Connor is just fidgeting nervously. “Hey... it’s okay. I’m not freaked out.” He gives Connor a smile, “I.. did think you were so cute when we first were at the arcade. That’s why I wanted to keep playing.”

Connor blushes again and Richie thinks that he looks so cute right now. Richie thinks back of Eddie of how he wished Eddie would feel this way for him. Of how sad it makes Richie just to think Eddie would be disgusted if he ever found out.

He pushes those feelings down because here was Connor who had a crush on him and didn’t mind Richie kissing him. At that thought, he gets an idea.

“You.. we could..” Richie offers and also blushes, “I mean.. we both have crushes on each other. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

Connor lights up to that idea and doesn’t say anything but just step closer. He pauses a little at which Richie just nods at him and slides their lips together. Richie is so inexperienced but Connor seems to know what he’s doing.

He slides their lips softly against each other, he cups Richie’s face, his thumb swiping his cheek tenderly. They pull back and Connor smiles at him.

“Good?” He asks Richie, sliding his hand down to cup his face again.

“Yeah.. you’ve kissed girls before?” Richie asks a little curiously.

“Yeah.. I’ve had girlfriends in the past.” Connor shrugs, but silences all other conversations when he pressed their lips together.

Richie finds out that Connor definitely had more experience than him as he slides his tongue in his mouth and rips out a groan from him.

He pulls back blushing and Connor’s eyes widened. “Hey.. too far?”

Richie shrugs biting his lip, a little embarrassed, “A little.. I just.. never done any of this.”

Connor smiles at him, “Hey it’s okay, whatever you’re comfortable with.” They kiss again, just a few delicate pecks, and he pulls back with a sigh, “I have to go.. but I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Richie nods and Connor leans in pecking his lips before he opens the door and he’s on his way.

They don’t always kiss is the thing. They sometimes just hang out or play at the arcade. Random times will they spend a few minutes kissing, mostly if it’s at Richie’s house and his parents aren’t home. They’re both too scared to kiss outside, afraid anyone would see.

They also aren’t together. They’re not boyfriends. Richie thinks that they both kiss because it’s nice to finally kiss boys.

He manages to balance his time with the losers and his time with Connor. Eddie is not so thrilled, he always tried to change topic every time Richie brought him up in conversations. It’s like Eddie didn’t want to hear about his friendship with Connor. He was confused but Eddie had always been very overprotective.

At least Stan seems happy Richie was there most of the time. Ben moved away unfortunately so it was just Bill, Eddie and Richie. Occasionally Mike will join them, if he was able to get away from the farm and meet them at the clubhouse.

It was nearing Halloween and the losers decided they would all dress up as comic book characters.

“No way! I’m Batman!” Richie says to Eddie as they’re trying to pick who is who.

“Batman doesn’t wear glasses dipshit.” Eddie points out at which Bill and Stan agree. “You won’t be able to fit your glasses in the mask. You can be the joker!”

Richie thinks about it and he doesn’t think it be a bad idea, Jack Nicholson had been so good at it.

“Such a good idea for you, your true identity.” Stan says, smug smile on his face.

Richie rolls his eyes, “Listen be grateful I’m even considering it, still have nightmares of that stupid fucking clown.”

The mood shifts a little between them and he curses under his breath. They really were never going to get over this.

Bill, the one that was most harmed by IT, clears his throat, “You st-still have nightmares R-Richie?”

Richie picks on his nail clearly uncomfortable, “Yeah.. they’re getting to be once a week now. So that’s.. better.”

Bill, Stan and Eddie nod, perhaps they were also starting to get less nightmares. Richie is hopeful one day they never have to talk about IT again. But the day isn’t here.

“So I’m Batman.” Eddie says suddenly. He is looking at Richie, perhaps knowing they needed a laugh.

Richie swallows and then snorts at that, “You? Batman? Eddie my love you are way too shor-“

Eddie pinches his arm, “Don’t you fucking finish that sentence asshole. I’ll be Batman, that’s decided.” Richie just chuckles and Eddie glares at him. “Why is that so fucking funny?”

Richie raises his arms, “Not laughing!”

Bill ignores them and announces he’d be Superman and Stan decides he was going to be Flash. Mike as usual, can’t join them.

“Hey...” Eddie asks as they’re both walking back from the clubhouse. It was just them now. “You’re going trick or treating with us right?”

“Of course, you know how much I love to steal your candy.” Richie jokes, “Will your mom let you keep all the candy? Or am I going to convince her with my awesome dick powers?”

Eddie shoves him, “Shut up asshole!” They fall silent again. He speaks up, “Are you bringing Connor?”

Richie frowns, “No.”

“Oh.. he doesn’t want to come?” Eddie asks nervously.

“Haven’t asked, but Halloween is just with us losers.” Richie is confused, Connor hanging out with them would be.. strange.

“Yeah.. but he’s your.. friend. He could come with us, if.. if you wanted to.” Eddie says and Richie immediately stops walking because Eddie was acting so weird. Richie was sure Eddie didn’t like Connor so why was he suggesting Richie invite him.

“Thought you hated him.” Richie just says to Eddie.

“He’s your friend though.” Eddie says and the way he says friend is a little off.

“You were just complaining about him yesterday.” Richie points out.

“He’s your friend.” Eddie repeats, his voice shaky.

“You also threatened to punch him last week when he asked for my address.” Richie recalls, he doesn’t know what he’s trying to find out. But he just knows that Eddie is acting weird.

“He’s your friend.” Eddie says and his voice cracks. He looks like he’s about to start crying and Richie has no idea why.

“Eddie..” Richie starts, “Hey.. what’s wrong?”

Eddie starts crying, right in the middle of the street. Richie can’t deal with Eddie crying, he hates it. Eddie should never cry.

“Eddie!” Richie pulls him in, hugging him tightly as the other boy cried. “Eddie, what’s wrong? Is this about Connor being my friend?”

The shorter boy doesn’t say anything and just continues crying.

“Hey, I already told you. You know why I hang out with him. Me and you still have this connection Eddie, c’mon!” Richie reasons, “You have nothing to worry about.”

Eddie pulls back, wiping at his eyes and sniffling. He looks at Richie like he wants to say something, like he’s scared to say it. He seems to double think it because he just nods. “Yeah.. sorry. I just.. my mom has been so much lately. Ben left and you know..” He shrugs and Richie thinks that maybe there’s something more to that. But he doesn’t press.

“Hey, why don’t tomorrow we go shopping for our costumes then watch a movie at the theater?” Richie smiles at him and Eddie nods, eyes lightning up a little, “Cool! Now c’mon.. you said your mom wanted you back before 8.” Richie reminds him, both boys start walking again.

“Are you sure?” Connor asked hesitantly. “I’m not sure your friends like me too much.”

“I asked all of them and all of them agreed. It’s fine really.” Richie shrugs, standing up from the sofa and going to the kitchen to get another soda.

Connor follows him and leans against the cabinets, pursuing his lips as he thinks about his decision before nodding, “Okay.. hopefully there’s still costumes left. Also I can’t believe Eddie was okay with it.. I feel like he hates me.”

Richie rolls his eyes, pretending like he didn’t agree, “Eddie was the one that suggested it.”

Connor eyes widened but he drops the subject once Richie suggests kissing again.

They stop talking about Halloween plans and start kissing again.

“Oh shit...” Richie whispers under his breath as he sees Connor walk closer to him.

They were all supposed to meet at Richie’s house so they could leave together.

Connor was the last one here. Eddie had already been a little annoyed at Connors lack of punctuality. Now he was definitely going to be even more annoyed.

Connor was wearing the same costume as Eddie. They were both Batman.

“What the fuck is he wearing?!” He hears Eddie hiss. “Did you tell him you were the joker? Did you tell him I was Batman?!”

Richie shakes his head, “No.. I just invited him. Eddie this isn’t a big deal.. he didn’t know!”

Eddie looked like he was going to say more by the looks of his fiery glare but Connor reaches them.

“Oh! The Joker nice!” Connor smiles at him, “I’m your Batman!”

“I’m his Batman.” Eddie grits out, behind him.

Richie cringes and Connor looks over at Eddie and his eyes widened, “Oh sorry.. I didn’t know. They didn’t have a lot left so I just got this one.”

Eddie doesn’t say anything just crosses his arms.

“I’m Stan and this is Bill and you’ve already met Eddie.” Stan speaks up introducing everyone around to Connor, trying to dissipate the tension. Richie is eternally grateful for Stan.

“W-We should head o-out.” Bill advices, “We’ll m-miss out on t-the good c-candy.”

Eddie pushes past Richie as they head out. Richie sticks with Connor who is sending him an apologetic look at which Richie just shrugs, grimacing.

“Your costume is really nice, even with the glasses you look just like Jack Nicholson.” Connor comments after they’ve gone to several houses. “Who did the make up?”

“My mom did.” Richie smiles, wishing he could tell him how nice his costume look. But also knowing that it would only make Eddie angrier.

Connor reaches out and tucks a wavy lock behind his ear and Richie blushes softly. He hears someone clearing their throat rather loudly.

Eddie is just glaring at them, Connor pulls his hand back automatically. “We are thinking of heading down another street, this one is pretty dead.”

Richie nods, “Lead the way Batman!” He chuckles hoping to get anything out of Eddie but Eddie just huffs and ignores him.

After a couple more houses and more streets Connor announces he should be getting home.

“It’s just barely 8!” Richie pouts, “You really need to go?”

“Yeah sorry, my parents want me back early. It’s a school night after all.” Connor shrugs, “I’ll see you and nice meeting you all.”

He waves at the rest of the losers. Who all but Eddie wave back. Richie sticks around with Stan now, figures he shouldn’t push Eddie too much.

They kept asking for candy. Eddie seemed in a better mood by the end of the night, even rolling his eyes at one of Richie’s jokes.

Richie and Eddie walk each other home and Eddie pauses before he goes inside his house. He turns to look at Richie, Batman mask was off and it left some of his hair sticking up in different directions.

“Hey... I’m your favorite Batman correct?” Eddie all but whispers staring intensively at him.

“Yeah, you’re my only Batman Eddie.” Richie says truthfully.

An expression crosses Eddie’s face before he can decode it and he nods, looking away. “See you tomorrow.” He says and slides into his house.

Richie is reading his comic as usual, feels the burning stare of Connor and he can’t ignore it anymore. “What?” He looks up at him, catching him off guard.

Connor shakes his head, “Nothing..”

He rolls his eyes, “What is it?”

Connor sighs, “I’m moving... in two weeks.”

Richie just stares at Connor, taking the information in. He knew Connor was leaving soon but he didn’t know when. He hoped it be later on. He didn’t want these moments to end. These moments where Richie could be kissing him and also be talking about Eddie and the very non-friendly ways he feels about him. Moments where Richie showed him the carving in the kissing bridge and Connor hugged him.

Connor understood another side of him. And now he was leaving.

“I’ll miss you.” Richie says softly at which Connor just met him with a watery smile.

“I can write to you. Maybe I’ll come back one weekend and we can spend it together.” He offers and wipes his tears away, “We can still be friends.”

Richie nods, sliding his hand on top of his. “We can.”

It was the day before Connor left and Richie was helping him pack. They pretty much had everything packed except for some miscellaneous stuff. They were sitting down in his empty room drinking a soda.

“You should tell him.” Connor says suddenly and Richie raises an eyebrow, “Eddie. You should tell Eddie.”

Richie snorts waiting for the punchline that doesn’t come. He frowns, “Why would I do that?”

“I think... he also likes you.” Connor shrugged, “No one is that jealous over their friends.”

Richie shakes his head, “No.. Eddie has just always been so protective of me. Like I am of him okay? We have a different connection but he doesn’t like me like that.”

Connor sighs, “Richie.. I think he does. Just.. promise me you’ll at least think about telling him yeah? That can be my farewell gift.”

Richie can’t tell Eddie anything. He doesn’t want Eddie to reject him or hit him for thinking like that. But nevertheless he nods.

After Connor leaves, Richie is a little bummed. Eddie even stops calling Connor names afterwards. He doesn’t ask if he’s sad, he’ll just make sure Richie is occupied.

A week after he leaves Eddie and Richie are alone at the clubhouse. Bill and Stan were with their parents and Mike couldn’t come as usual.

They’re in the hammock, laying against each other. One of Eddie’s foot is next to his head, and Richie is holding Eddie’s calf. Richie thinks that this is just the normal part of the connection he shares with Eddie.

“Hey Richie..” Eddie speaks up, Richie looks up from the comic he was reading.

“Yes Mr. Spaghetti?” Richie says and looks at how cute Eddie looks rolling his eyes at him.

“Be serious for a minute dipshit.” Eddie says and then just stares at him before taking a deep breath. “You can be honest with me.”

Richie is confused, “Honest about what?”

“About.. Connor and you. You can be honest.” Eddie says again at which Richie starts to panic.

His breathing accelerated but there’s no reason why Eddie would know. They never kissed outside of their homes, only that first time.

“Wh-What?” Richie decides to play dumb.

Eddie sighs, “I saw you guys... kissing.”

Richie jumps from the hammock, he definitely feels like he might throw up. He needs to get out of here.

“Richie.. Hey! Calm down!” Eddie says reaching out to grab Richie’s arm. “Please calm down. I’m not... I’m not going to judge you Richie.”

Richie pauses and turns to look at him and Eddie didn’t look mad or disgusted. He nods still freaking out a little, “When did you...”

“When I gave him your address, I was afraid he might go and hurt you. So I followed him. But you guys went inside and then I got scared he might actually hurt you for real.” Eddie says, closing his eyes as he remembers, he sits back on the hammock. “I was trying to figure out if I should burst through the door but thought maybe I should just look to make sure. So I looked through a window and.. you guys were kissing.” He starts whispering now, “I thought my vision was wrong but.. no you two were kissing. You two kissed several times.”

Richie swallows, “He wasn’t... Like we weren’t...” He sighs trying to stop himself from fidgeting, “He wasn’t my boyfriend.”

Eddie looks up and Richie realizes Eddie had started crying. “Liar!”

Richie is confused as to why he’s crying, “Eddie, what’s wrong?”

Was Eddie crying because Richie didn’t tell him? Did he make Eddie cry?

Eddie just starts crying even more and Richie is frozen. Was it his mom again? Was he stressed? Was some medication messing with his emotions?

“Eddie, fuck! C’mon talk to me, talk to me before you have a panic attack!” Richie reasoned, sitting next to him in the hammock. Eddie just stands up, determined look on his face.

“I never liked him.” Eddie chokes out, “I never liked Connor! But... when I saw you guys kissing... I hated him. I hated him so much. I ran home that day and cried and cried. I cried every time I knew you two were together. Stan and Bill probably figured out why I cried.”

Richie just stares at Eddie his heart hammering in his chest.

“I didn’t even realize why I was crying. Had an idea but I didn’t want to admit myself. I realized you two were.. probably together. I realized he probably meant something to you and I hated it.” Eddie sobs softly, “That’s why I told you to invite him.. I thought maybe if I saw you two together I’ll be okay. I wouldn’t feel this way.” He scoffs like the idea had been terrible. “Then he shows up in a fucking Batman costume and you two are so close and intimate the entire time.. I was so fucking jealous and miserable. I felt so fucking pathetic and then you fucking lied to me, saying I’m your only Batman.”

Richie thinks back to what Connor said. Thinks back at all of Eddie’s actions. Holy shit. Holy shit.

“And then Connor leaves and you’re so sad. And it should’ve of made me feel better, that he left. That he was gone. But it didn’t because you are sad and you miss him. And I hate it when you’re sad!” Eddie blubbers on, “And... I’ll never be enough because I’m not Connor with the nice blonde hair, tall and handsome and older.” He says sadly, trying to wipe his tears away but they just kept coming. “And I can’t fucking believe it took me seeing you with him to finally admit this to myself!” Richie just waits, his stomach about to explode of butterflies. “That I really fucking love you!” The way Eddie says it and looks at him, it’s like he said the worst thing ever.

Richie sees it all now. Sees what Connor was referring to. Eddie was jealous, Eddie was mad, Eddie was hurt. Not because of miscellaneous things, not because of his mom, not because Richie had a new friend. No. No. He was jealous, mad and hurt because he thought Richie had a boyfriend.

“Eddie you’re an oblivious idiot.” Is all Richie says looking up at him and grinning. He stands up, cups his face and hesitates a little. This was surely going to be Eddie’s first kiss ever and he didn’t want to steal it from him.

He feels Eddie freeze a little, pulling back, brown eyes wide a little shocked. “But you and Connor..”

Richie shakes his head, “Just friends. We just figured out we were both liked boys and we... kissed sometimes. But really Eddie we were just friends. He knew how I felt about you.”

“How you felt about me?” Eddie asks softly, smiling slowly lighting up his face.

“How I’m in love with you, how you’re more than enough for me. How every time I kissed him I wanted it to be you.” Richie blushes at how honest he’s being with him but the way Eddie just leans in pressing their lips together is worth it.

Eddie pulls back instantly and exhales, “I always thought kissing would be gross.. but.. I kinda wanna do more of it.”

Richie smiles at him, “You’ll never catch me complaining. Hey Eddie.. you’re really my only Batman.”

Eddie blushes and giggles, leaning in to kiss him. “I might actually believe you this time.” He kisses Richie again, he feels so excited against him, like he never thought kissing him would be a possibility.

Richie feels himself agreeing with that thought. He never once thought he’d be holding Eddie so closely just kissing him.

“When did you know?” Eddie whispers after they stopped kissing and are just cuddled up in the hammock.

Richie sighs, carding his fingers through Eddie’s soft hair. “I didn’t instantly know. Kinda like you, it took some time for me to put the pieces together.” Eddie just looks at him curiously, Richie thought maybe one day he’d kiss all the freckles scatteredon his nose. “When... IT almost killed all of us, when you broke you arm. The way I acted, I mean holding your face and all that.. I thought it was just me being a good friend. But then more shit happened and I just realized how much I’ve actually always loved you. I mean Pennywise taunted the fuck out of me and I just went to carve our initials on the kissing bridge!”

“You did what?!” Eddie exclaims, standing up. “Show me please!”

Richie smiles at him, standing up and bringing him for a kiss. “Let’s go Eds.”

“Don’t call me that!” He hears Eddie say as he’s climbing up the stairs. “Now show me!”

Richie just can’t keep the smile off his face as they exit the clubhouse.

When they tell the other losers a few couple days later, making sure Mike was present, Stan just shrugs.

“Does this mean you two will stop fighting all the time?” Stan asks looking at them both with a hopeful expression.

Richie and Eddie frown, “We just.. told you we are together like as boyfriends and this is what you’re asking?” Eddie is a little confused.

“Yeah.. I knew you two were into each other.” Stan shrugs, ”We all knew, no news there, just happy you finally realized it. So is that a yes or a no?”

“We still argue and fight all the time..” Richie hums and shrugs, “I don’t know.”

Stan huffs, “Great so nothing has changed.”

Bill is a little more lively, “I’m h-happy for you t-two!”

Mike also nods smiling widely, “I always thought you two were dating before, so this is good news.”

Beverly shares a ‘FINALLY!’ when she calls Richie and Ben is the only one who is genuinely surprised but as well happy.

When Connor comes to visit for a weekend in two months, Richie invites him to the clubhouse. Eddie was less aggressive to Connor now. Connor is sitting next to Bill and then he smiles when he looks over at how Eddie and Richie are holding hands.

Richie just looks over at Eddie who is looking back at him as they lounged at the clubhouse and for the first time since the summer this reality, and everything they went through, was good.


End file.
